


Softened Hearts

by labyrinths_scribe



Category: Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (TV 2018)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-11
Updated: 2020-02-11
Packaged: 2021-02-28 02:54:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,877
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22656586
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/labyrinths_scribe/pseuds/labyrinths_scribe
Summary: A little AU-CD one-shot based on 3.06.Caliban's offer to help Roz, and his subsequent proposal, goes a little bit differently.Caliban x Sabrina.
Relationships: Caliban/Sabrina Spellman
Comments: 21
Kudos: 326





	Softened Hearts

“Perhaps I can help.” Caliban interrupted, knowing that his opportune moment had arrived. The door slid to the side and he leaned against the frame, barely casting a glance at the mortals that had managed to hold Sabrina’s affections. He had been following her since their reunion in Hell, determined to know his enemy better. He struggled to understand how someone could be so constantly at war with themselves. Sabrina claimed that she didn’t want the throne, but she was fighting tooth and claw to keep it, even shunning her mortal obligations in the process.

He had heard enough, seen enough in the town to have some idea of what they were facing. Pagan monsters, older than some of the oldest demons of hell, had been among the first to be worshiped as Gods. There was a reason for that. But Sabrina - loyal, wrathful, determined Sabrina - had shown no fear regarding the upcoming conflict. Rather, she had taken it in stride. There was no question in her mind that she would be victorious, or if she would succeed in curing her friend. Her victory was already laid before her eyes, set in the woven fabric of the universe. 

“What the hell is he doing here?” Harvey snarled, accusation souring his tone.

Sabrina ignored him, turning her dark eyes on Caliban and strode across the room to meet him.

“Caliban, if this is about the third challenge-“

“I came to make a proposal, away from the courts of hell.” He glanced at the mortals gathered on the side of the room, eyes lingering on the statue. “If my Queen were to entertain it, I would, in turn, help your friend.” He had her attention now, could see only the barest hint of uncertainty - no, not uncertainty, caution. Ah, she was wary of him. She had learned.

“What do you know about turning someone from stone to flesh?” Sabrina probed, taking a half step closer to him.

He glanced down for a moment. “I’m made of clay,” he reminded her gently, lips curling into a small smile. A fact, though only laterally related to his knowledge of spells concerning reanimation.

Sabrina considered this. “True,” her head dipped in a half nod. “Forgot about that.”

Caliban pressed on. “There’s a spell, a Pygmalion spell that will turn her back into flesh.”

“Do you know it?” Sabrina drew closer, urgency driving her forward.

“Not by heart, no. I’d have to find it.” Caliban shook his head, eyes unblinking as he stared down at her. “But,” he let the word linger, drawing her further in. “If you came with me, I could outline my proposal?” He wanted her away from her mortal friends. Their conversation was not one to be overheard. He straightened slightly, sauntering closer to her. She had yet to look away, eyes glimmering like fire in dark water, and did not bother to turn her head when the mortal boy spoke.

“Sabrina, if he can fix Roz-“ Harvey clung to the hope, his previous anger set aside.

“Fine, I’ll do it,” Sabrina leveled her gaze, snapping the words as if she couldn’t have said them faster. “Let’s go.” She commanded, and waited, expectant.

Briefly, he made eye contact with the mortal boy, a small smirk starting in the corner of his mouth. “Best hold tight, my Queen. I wouldn’t want to lose you on the journey.” He stepped forward until they were almost flush, and encircled his arms loosely around her before raising them quickly, summoning the hellfire to take them home.

Harvey clenched his teeth, feeling lost for a moment. There was almost a sense of finality in the air as the flames burned away. Roz would be okay. She would be saved. But in saving Roz, he’d lost Sabrina.

* * *

As the flames faded away, Sabrina felt vertigo overcome her. Teleportation was always a little disorienting, but interdimensional teleportation felt like your internal organs were doing somersaults. Strong arms held her upright even as the world tilted and it took her a moment to realize that Caliban was the only thing holding her up; she attempted to step away, pressing her hands against his chest, and stumbled. His hands tightened around her waist. “Easy, your Majesty. Take a moment to collect yourself.”

Reluctantly, Sabrina complied. After a few moments of steady breathing, she felt the world shift back into something normal. “I’m alright, Caliban. Thank you.”

Caliban withdrew his hands cautiously, waiting to see if she would fall. When she proved steady he stepped back, sweeping aside. He offered her his arm. “Come, the library is this way.”

Sabrina accepted, not wanting to be rude after he offered to help Roz. “So, you said you had a proposal?” They walked side by side down the hall, Caliban gently directing her as they turned down winding hallways.

He was surprised that she had brought the matter up so quickly. She was a very direct person, and fair, but given their history even he would’ve expected payment first. “I do, yes,” He trailed off, pushing the doors to the library open. He escorted her to her seat, taking a moment to pull a few books from the shelves that he thought might contain the spell. “Sabrina, why do you want to be Queen?”

Sabrina took the first book off the top of the stack and began skimming through it. That was a simple question, but the answer was complicated. “Well... I need the power, to protect my coven and save my home.” She replied, vague enough not to expose her softer underbelly. “Why do you want to be King?”

“Power,” He answered immediately, not needing to think about it. “The chance to reform Hell and remake it anew,” He skimmed through the book in front of him, setting it aside when he was finished and picking up the next.

“If I may be frank, my Queen,” He waited, appealing to her curiosity.

“Are you ever anything but?” She asked dryly, offering him a small smile.

“Hell has already suffered under the rule of one absent monarch too disinterested to participate in leadership. We cannot afford another. The pit is degrading.”

Sabrina’s eyebrows rose, surprised to hear criticism of Lucifer’s leadership.”So you want to make Hell... better. How?”

Caliban shifted uncomfortably for a moment. “Infrastructure, mostly. Just because we’re demons doesn’t mean we don’t deserve decent living conditions.” Sabrina nodded, surprised that his reason wasn’t more... supremacy and brimstone oriented. “But we needn’t be adversaries, my Queen... we could align,” His voice was soft, warmth coloring his tone.

“Align?” Sabrina frowned, setting a book aside and picking up another. “How so?” She hissed, flexing her hand as it cramped.

Caliban gently took the book from her hands and set it aside, taking her hands in his own. He marveled at how different they were, how delicate and beautiful her fingers were. He rubbed a thumb over the back of her hand and began to lightly massage her palm. “Marriage. You are the only daughter of the previous King, royal by birth. You have the support of the traditionalists. I am the native son of the inferno, and I bear the support of the common demons and progressives. In marriage, Hell would be unified once more. You could call on the power of hell as needed to protect your coven, and I would have the power to change things for the better.”

Sabrina froze, barely registering the sweet tingling in her palms. “What about conquering Earth? I think you and I have different interests, Caliban.”

“Entirely negotiable. It was a sticking point for your father, a promise he used to keep the infernal courts in line. I adopted it as my own because it was convenient,” He continued to massage her hands, rubbing warmth and comfort into them. “I wouldn’t need to persuade the rest of Hell to a new goal.” 

He released her hands and returned his own to the task of flipping through the next book; his hands might wander further if he did not. Sabrina also returned to the task at hand, silently bemoaning the loss, The library wasn’t cold, per se, but the warmth of his hands had made her aware that she wasn’t as warm as she usually would have liked. She shivered a little and shifted in her seat.

“Why is it called a Pygmalion spell?” She asked, diverting the subject for a moment. 

He looked at her, surprised. “Don’t you know the myth of Pygmalion?” He waved his hand slowly, and the fireplace behind them erupted into flame. “He was a sculptor who carved a woman made of ivory. Pygmalion fell in love with the statue, wished her alive. He made an offering to the gods, promised he would give up his greatest love, sculpting. In exchange, when Pygmalion kissed the statue, she turned to flesh.” 

She inhaled a shuddering breath, tears forming in the corners of her eyes. "That's... that's beautiful,"

He left his seat to kneel in front of her, wiping the tears from the corners of her eyes. "You are not Pygmalion, Sabrina. You needn't sacrifice what you love most to have your wishes granted. The power you seek to protect your coven, to drive these monsters from your home, to protect your kingdom - for Earth _is_ your kingdom, whether the mortals know it or not - it can be yours, now. Marry me, end our conflict and unite Hell." His words were fervent, comforting in the face of the daunting reality that Sabrina was facing. "We could work together to find the third Unholy Regalia, claim the throne together. The armies of Hell would be at your disposal, and we could wipe the Pagans from the Earth. As King, I could rule Hell and remake it into what it could be - as Queen, you could rule the Earth, and continue to live your mortal life without the constant obligations of being Queen of Hell. We both win."

"To be clear," Her voice was low, barely above a whisper. "Our alignment would... political in nature, not romantic," she clarified, beginning to feel too warm with Caliban knelt in front of her, and the fireplace burning at her back.

"And... why not?" He surged forward, hand sliding back to bury his fingers in her curls, lips pressed firmly against her own. His other hand cradled her face, thumb stroking the underside of her jaw. Her mouth parted in a small exhale, eyes fluttering closed. He brought himself closer, settling between her thighs as he knelt, angling his head to deepen the kiss. Sabrina pulled away after a moment, overwhelmed and uncertain. Caliban's eyes were hooded, warm and wanting and boring into her. He brought his hands to rest on the arms of her chair. "You are... unattached, are you not?"

Sabrina cleared her throat, finding it hard to think clearly. "Nick and I just broke up but we... we might get back together."

"Perhaps, my Queen," his voice dipped lower as he took her hands in his own, "we can revisit this discussion once we save your friend." He pressed a last, light kiss to the tips of her fingers. "Your heart might have softened toward me by then." As his already had.

**Author's Note:**

> Just a little something to get the creative juices flowing while I work on a Part 3, Calbrina-centric rewrite. Please let me know what you think! And if you happen to have any prompts for me for future one-shots, please share!
> 
> Thanks for reading!


End file.
